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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29074353">Sheo’s Little Painters</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bleeding_Hearts/pseuds/Bleeding_Hearts'>Bleeding_Hearts</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Chatfic Chaos [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hollow Knight (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>I love my painter family ok? Ok., It’s a lotta fluff, Multi, This idea came to me when I was sick</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:56:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,342</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29074353</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bleeding_Hearts/pseuds/Bleeding_Hearts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sheo loves his unofficially adopted family consisting of Tiso, Xero, and Zote. Sure, they’re chaotic, but he loves them all the same. </p><p>After going missing for a day, the three show up once more at Sheo’s. Just, y’know, not the same age.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bretta/Zote the Mighty (Hollow Knight), Markoth/Xero (Hollow Knight), Nailsmith/Nailmaster Sheo (Hollow Knight), Quirrel/Tiso (Hollow Knight)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Chatfic Chaos [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2144601</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. When It Starts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This story makes a little more sense if you have read Chapter 12 and 15 of my other fic, “normal” never existed in this gc<br/>It’s not required though. </p><p>This idea came to me when I was sick with a headache and didn’t have the energy to write it out, but it’s here now. </p><p>This does use some references to my other fic, such as text names, so I’ll put them below in case you haven’t read the other fic. </p><p>Sheo- thepaintmaster<br/>Quirrel- justvibin<br/>Markoth- fuckyourfloors<br/>Bretta- QueenBretta</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Now, lightly dip the tip of the brush in the paint, then gently drag it across your canvas, like this.” The paintbrush touched the canvas and danced in a small fancy line, dragging a cerulean line behind it. </p><p>Sheo turned to the three bugs before him. Tiso was covered in paint, a puddle of red around his easel. His hood was stained and multiple colors dripped off his face and hands as he gave a sheepish chuckle. “Sorry…?”</p><p>Sheo smiled. “It’s quite alright, Tiso. We all make mistakes.” He retreated to the other room, returning with a bucket of warm water and a few rags. He handed one to Tiso, then turned to Zote. He wasn’t fairing much better and was lying in a puddle of multiple colors. There wasn’t an inch of him that wasn’t stained in paint. Sheo chuckled and handed him a rag as well. </p><p>“It’s too fucking hard!” Those words were the only warning Sheo got before a small tray of paint was sent flying his way. Sheo ducked, watching the tray clatter to the floor, adding to the mess. The painter turned and gave Xero a disapproving look. </p><p>“What did I say about throwing paint?” he asked calmly, knowing not to let the scold into his tone. Angry Xero was very impatient, he had learned. </p><p>To his relief, Xero had calmed down a bit. “Not too…?” he asked quietly, holding his arm. </p><p>Sheo smiled at the bashful bug and lightly tossed another rag over. He surveyed the damage and rubbed his head. This would be a chore to clean, but he didn’t mind too much. Ever since he had unofficially declared to be a father figure to the three, he noticed they all seemed a bit happier. Of course, they were all adults and had their own lives to live, but the time the group spent together was cherished. </p><p>There were a few times where the four would go out to malls or restaurants and get mistaken for an actual family. Sheo could see how one could call them that. The fights were endless, whether they were over the inner seat of the window booth or who should be first to see the Oomas and Uomas Monomon had. </p><p>Seeing the three off when it was time for them to go was always a bit disheartening, but Sheo always brightened up when he received independent texts of a well-rested night from all three before he went to bed. Some lucky nights, they stayed over at Sheo’s small house and the four wouldn’t have to text, simply calling from their spots in the house. </p><p>Sheo smiled as he waved to the departing bugs. No matter what happened, no matter who came between them, Sheo knew they’d always be his little painters. </p><p>-</p><p>The lack of texts wasn’t concerning at first. All three bugs were romantically involved, so it was normal for them to spend time with their partners. Sheo would always send them a small positive message when he knew one of his children was going on a date. </p><p>The groupchat started talking about it, however. No one had heard from any of the three in a day, which, given Tiso’s record, was a bit worrying. The ant couldn’t go 12 hours without texting someone with a brand new epiphany. </p><p>Sheo was alarmed when he got visited by Quirrel. The pillbug was standing on his porch, knocking on the door with a worried expression. Trying not to increase the worry, Sheo put on a smile and opened the door. </p><p>“Good morning, Quirrel! What brings you down to my little home?” </p><p>Quirrel fidgeted with his hands. “Is Tiso here with you? I haven’t seen him in a while.”</p><p>Sheo tried not to be alarmed by this. He reluctantly shook his head. “I’m afraid not. He hasn’t been here since Friday.”</p><p>Quirrel nodded quickly, trying to conceal his panic. “Th-thank you... “</p><p>Sheo watched him go, closing the door and letting his frown show. It was Sunday, two days since Sheo had last heard from any of his adopted children. The painter sighed, sitting down in a chair as he got out his phone. </p><p>He had access to the chat logs. Ghost trusted him not to mess around with them. Most of the time, they were unhelpful, but Sheo scrolled through them now as if his life depended on it. According to the logs, Tiso hadn’t talked since Friday night when he responded to a rhetorical question. </p><p>Zote and Xero were a bit harder to find. They both kept out of the chat’s chaoticness unless they felt a need to include themselves in it. Zote hadn’t texted since Thursday, which increased Sheo’s worry. </p><p>Xero’s last response gave him mixed feelings. It had been sent yesterday, Saturday, but it was very early in the morning, shortly after the three had left Sheo’s. Sheo sighed and decided to ask the question he had on his mind. </p><p> </p><p>11:14 AM</p><p>[HallownestTexts]</p><p>thepaintmaster: If any of you have seen my children, let me know please! Thanks!</p><p>Unsurprisingly, nobody knew. He got two concerning private messages from Bretta and Markoth, both saying they hadn’t seen their partners in a while as well. Sheo replied with a thank you, trying not to worry about it too much when he went to bed that night. </p><p>-</p><p>It was about 2 in the morning when he heard it. A crash and clattering that jolted Sheo awake. The painter rubbed his eyes as he slipped out of bed, his old nail in hand for safety. He hardly used it, but he wasn’t one to risk getting attacked at night. </p><p>Something wet against his foot made him stop and look down. He dipped his finger in the substance, watching it drip to the floor. He inclined his head. Paint? What would anyone want with his paint?</p><p>A soft thud sounded off from his kitchen and Sheo perked up. He moved as quietly as possible, his nail held tight. He peered around the corner and felt his eyes widen. </p><p>In the dim moonlight, he could make out two- no, three- small figures. He couldn’t see their features closely in the dark, but he could hear their voices as they shuffled around. One of the small figures had fallen off the chair they had propped up against the wall. They climbed back up, standing on the chair as they reached for the paintings hung up on the wall. They were all paintings the miniature family had done together when the nights were more peaceful. </p><p>Seeing the attempt to steal the paintings made anger rise in Sheo. He stepped around the corner, flicking on the light as he raised his nail. “Hey!” His voice rang out across the room, startling the figures. The light brought the room to life and Sheo almost dropped his nail at what he saw.</p><p>The three small figures resembled his children, almost like replicas come to life. There wasn’t a hint of detail missing from any of them. Unique features, like Tiso’s hood, Xero’s helmet, and Zote’s nail, were all the same. The wide eyes of the three stared at Sheo as he stared back, none of them moving for a moment. </p><p>Chaos erupted. The three all scrambled for the door at the exact same time. Sheo shook himself out of his trance and rushed to the door, closing it before any of the three could reach it. He glared down at the three, his nail lowered but still in a position to strike if need be. The three children stood before him, petrified. </p><p>“Names. Now.” The words came out as a growl. Sheo couldn’t say he was sorry. Some kids had the fucking audacity to prank him in this cruel way? Hell no.</p><p>As if on cue, the Tiso-lookalike burst into tears. The crying spurred the other two kids to do the same and Sheo felt his grip on his nail faltering a little. The painter sighed as he set it against the wall, stepping towards the children with a small smile on his face. </p><p>“I-I’m sorry for startling you,” he said in a soft voice as to not startle them more. “What’s the matter?” He felt a little stupid for asking that. It was quite obvious what the matter was.</p><p>“O-Our da-dad went missing!” one of the children managed to hiccup out between sobs. Sheo softly cursed. They sounded like the ones they were copying too, feeding the side of him that was cooking up the most bizarre theories. </p><p>Sheo did his best to calm the children down, opening his arms for a hug. “It’ll be alright. Come, I’ll look after you for the night. In the morning, we can look for your dad together.”</p><p> </p><p>He wasn’t expecting all three to immediately rush him. He wrapped his arms around the kids, getting a good chance to look at them as they began to settle. These kids were good at mimicking, their costumes looked exactly right. Sheo gently stroked the mask of the Zote clone, feeling the smooth texture. Hm.</p><p>Sheo was relieved when the crying stopped altogether. He looked down at the three small children in his arms, then sighed softly as he picked them up, crossing over to the living room to set them on the couch. He made sure all three were asleep, then picked up his phone from the coffee table and shot three quick messages to Quirrel, Markoth, and Bretta. </p><p>2:00 AM</p><p>[thepaintmaster has added justvibin, fuckyourfloors, and 1 other to New Groupchat]</p><p>thepaintmaster: Found them.</p><p>-</p><p>Morning seemed to come way too early. To Sheo’s immense relief, the three children were all still passed out and where he had left them. Sheo couldn’t help but stare at the three. He couldn’t help but deny his thoughts. There was no actual way it was them, right?</p><p>Several things contradicted the denial. For one, the voices were the same. There was no way any kid could mimic the voices perfectly. Tiso had a very nasally voice and the child had gotten it exactly right, if not a few pitches higher. Sheo remembered God Tamer had tried to mimic Tiso’s voice and ended up losing her own. </p><p>The second giveaway was the copy of exact details. Sure, one could fashion Tiso’s hood to a similar design, but Sheo doubted there was small children who was skilled in welding or woodwork. The design of Xero’s helmet was difficult to replicate and the current one he wore was exactly the same, the horns the same crescent shape (which was extra hard to copy). Zote’s Life Ender, despite being made of wood, had a distinct pattern to it that he doubted anyone but Zote himself could remember and duplicate. </p><p>Unsurprisingly, Sheo’s phone was bombarded with messages, most of them in the new group chat the painter had made on a drowsy whim. Sheo blinked himself awake as he scrolled through the messages, most of them being Bretta telling Quirrel and Markoth to calm down and that Sheo would get back to them in the morning. The usually quiet beetle had even gone as far as to curse, something she rarely did, and the messages had stopped after that. The main group chat was somewhat silent, the occasional chaotic message here and there. </p><p>Sheo softly sighed as he texted the new group chat, telling them that he couldn’t explain at the moment but would do so soon. Really, he was stalling. What in Wyrm’s name was he supposed to tell them? I’m deeply sorry, but it seems your dates have gained access to their younger selves and are currently crashing at my place? Fat chance.</p><p>It did leave Sheo with the question of what he was supposed to do. The paintmaster sighed as he spared a glance over at the three kids resting besides him peacefully. He couldn restrain a smile, despite the situation. </p><p>He wondered what taking care of kids could be like. </p><p>-</p><p>He found out very soon.</p><p>Sheo would be lying if he said the kids weren’t like their adult counterparts. That was helpful to know and he prevented two fights between Zote and Tiso off of that knowledge alone. He sat Tiso down at the kitchen table. “Sit here. Breakfast will be done soon.”</p><p>Tiso looked up at him with wide white eyes. His hood was a little too big and dropped over his eyes, eliciting a giggle from him. “Where did you go?” he asked, pretending to look around. </p><p>Sheo smiled as he brushed the hood aside. “Here I am, Tiso.”</p><p>Tiso gasped in awe. He sprung to his feet, standing on the chair and throwing his small arms in the air as he laughed. “I found you!” he cheered. </p><p>Sheo gently patted his head and set a plate of cut-up pancake in front of him. He turned to watch the other two kids. Zote was pouring his syrup in an odd design while Xero sat motionless, arms folded. </p><p>Sheo crossed the room to pat the small child’s back. “It would be easier to take your helmet off,” he advised, reaching for the helmet. </p><p>Xero smacked his hand away. “No,” he said curtly, turning his head away. His voice was a little echoey from the helmet but wasn’t too different aside from the pitch as well. </p><p>Sheo restrained a sigh. Xero hadn’t taken off his helmet in person since Sheo had met him and his stubbornness to do so outlasted everyone’s patience. Sheo put his hands together and leaned down. “Xero.... you gotta take it off if you want to eat,” he said gently, reaching out and gently cupping Xero’s head in his hand. His hand brushed the small chestplate Xero normally wore and he made a note to be wary of it in the future. </p><p>To Sheo’s chagrin, Xero pulled away. “No!” He pushed Sheo’s hand away and held onto his helmet. “I don’t want to!”</p><p>Sheo sighed but decided to let it go. Apparently, even his patience was no match for Xero’s stubbornness, but the will to easily give up could also be due to the lack of sleep he got this morning. The painter suppressed a yawn as he moved to his microwave, heating up water for tea. </p><p>Sheo was grateful for the days when he had to babysit Ghost. He had a few remaining toys from their days of visiting, just in case the small vessel were to be needed to watch. Sheo thanked the stars for the toys’ presence as he removed the bin from his closet, setting it down in the living room. </p><p>“What that?” Tiso seemed curious, inclining his head as Sheo emptied the bin onto the carpeted floor. </p><p>Sheo smiled. “It’s toys for you and the others to play with.” He spread the toys out so the children could see them. “There’s puzzles, blocks, and a lot of other stuff.”</p><p>To his relief, the three kids took an interest in the toys. Zote immediately grabbed a small foam sword and swung it at Tiso playfully, standing in front of a plush Tiktik. “Imma protect the princess!” he exclaimed. </p><p>Tiso giggled as he grabbed a small toy flamethrower. He pressed a button on the side and the sound of flames emerged from the toy. “I’m a dragon! I’m gonna burn down the village!” He quickly set up the small playset of houses and stood over them, giggling. </p><p>Sheo watched the children play, smiling a tired smile. It was nice to see the two getting along for once. He was sure Xero would join in soon, judging by the interested looks the child was giving as he paused  his building with blocks. The distraction of toys gave Sheo a chance to reply to the messages he had received earlier.</p><p>7:44 AM</p><p>[New Groupchat]</p><p>thepaintmaster: Sorry, I had a long night.</p><p>justvibin: Good morning! </p><p>QueenBretta: So what were you saying?</p><p>thepaintmaster: Ah, yes. It’s easier to just show you, I guess. Meet me at lunch time?</p><p>justvibin: Ok</p><p>fuckyourfloors: it better be good</p><p>Sheo nodded as he set his phone down. He stood up and approached the playing children. They all paused their game to look up at him. </p><p>“Now, children, I’ll be having guests over in a little bit who want to meet you,” he told them gently, stroking Tiso’s head as he hugged Sheo’s leg. “Promise me you’ll be good for them, ok?”</p><p>“We promise!” All three responded in unison. Sheo smiled as he sat down.</p><p>“Thank you. Now, what’s this little game about?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Telling The News</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sheo tells the news to Quirrel, Markoth, Bretta, and Sly. It goes... semi-well.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wrote 1/4 of this last night (with a headache) and then wrote the rest while sitting in the very full store parking lot (with a headache). My computer was about to die and I had to race against that too but I think this chapter came out good. </p><p>Very excited for the next chapter because I love writing Oro. Anyways, enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Taking care of three children was a lot more of a chore than Sheo had anticipated. It could’ve simply been the endless energy the three seemed to have or the lack of sleep for the painter, but noon seemed to be a lot longer than four hours away. </p><p>The toys had done their job pretty well, entertaining the kids for a decent while before one of them finally grew bored with the game and moved on to clamper up to Sheo. The painter hadn’t noticed until he felt movement by his side and looked down to see Tiso rest his head on his lap. Sheo couldn’t hold back the smile as he gently held Tiso close. </p><p>The silence the house had didn’t stay for long. There was a small commotion of several metallic things hitting the floor and Sheo was reminded of the other two kids in the house. Getting up as quietly as he could, Sheo peered into the kitchen. </p><p>The crashing noise only turned out to be Zote knocking over a metal skillet. Zote stared at the several pots and pans on the floor from a few feet away. He looked up at Sheo as the painter approached with a small smile as he worked on picking the pans up. “What happened, kiddo?”</p><p>“He knocked them down!” The singsongy voice of Xero came from the table and Sheo made a mental note to himself to watch the red bug closely in the future. </p><p>“Did not!” Zote stamped his small foot, glaring daggers at Xero. </p><p>“Yes, you did,” Xero snapped back, a small teasing tone creeping into his voice. Sheo, who had finished picking up the pans, sighed as he picked up Zote, carrying him in a comforting grasp.</p><p>“Now, I’m sure it was an accident,” he said softly, remembering the sleeping Tiso in the next room over. He crossed the room and sat down in the living room, setting Zote on the ground. “Now, make sure to keep the volume down, ok?”</p><p>Zote nodded quickly, scrambling back over to a puzzle. Sheo watched him for a moment, then took out his phone to make a call. </p><p>-</p><p>The ringing of Sly’s phone cut through the silence, jostling the shopkeeper. He sighed heavily, trudging over to the phone that hung near the doorway. Sly picked up the phone, trying not to sound too disgruntled as he answered. “Hello?”</p><p>“Hi, dad!” The voice of Sheo rang out from the other side. </p><p>Sly smiled to himself. “Hello, Sheo. How has the city life been for you?”</p><p>Sheo sighed with a small chuckle. “It’s been rather kind so far.” He sounded a little tired, but Sly knew some nights were rougher than others. “I called because I need help.”</p><p>Sly leaned against the wall. “What kind of help?”</p><p>There was a quiet shuffling on the other side. The phone line went silent and Sly slightly inclined his head. </p><p>A different voice answered him. “I dunno who this is…” they sounded young, around the age of 6 or so, and Sly wondered if Sheo had a few guests over at the moment. </p><p>“Give me that!” The phone was snatched away and Sheo’s voice returned. “Sorry about that!”</p><p>Sly chuckled softly. “So, who’s kid is it?”</p><p>“Wh-what?”</p><p>“The kid. Obviously, there’s someone else over there.”</p><p>“Ah, yes. About that…” Sheo sighed. “Do you mind if I stop by for a little visit later? It’s kind of important.”</p><p>The question caught Sly off guard. He managed to nod. “Ye-yeah. Stop by whenever, I guess.”</p><p>“Thanks, dad.” The relief in Sheo’s voice was obvious. His voice faded a little and Sly assumed he was talking to someone else in the room. Sheo turned back to the phone. “I have to go now. I’ll see you later.”</p><p>Sly nodded. “See you then.” He heard the phone line go dead as Sheo hung up. Sly put the phone back and returned to his counter. </p><p>-</p><p>Sheo was nothing but nervous as noon arrived. He hurried to get the kids ready, ready meaning quiet and still in the living room. Sheo perked up as he heard a knock at the door. He hurried to open it, hiding his nervousness under his smile. </p><p>Quirrel smiled at Sheo. “Good morning!” He was using the same tactic as Sheo, hiding any nervousness under the facade of the bright afternoon sun. </p><p>Sheo opened the door for him. “Come in, come in! Have a seat at the table, if you will!”</p><p>Quirrel thanked him as he stepped inside, brushing past Sheo as the pillbug went to sit at the kitchen table. From the shadows of the living room, the three kids watched with intrigue, though none of them made any moves yet. </p><p>Markoth was the next to arrive. He greeted Sheo with a curt nod as the painter let him in. Bretta was more friendly, greeting everyone with an air of optimism. When all three bugs were at the table, Sheo finally sat down as well. </p><p>“Thank you for making your way over, “ the painter commented, smiling at the three despite the small anxiety attack half of him was having. </p><p>“Cut to the chase. You said you found them?” Markoth seemed to have no time for pleasantries.</p><p>Sheo nodded, sipping at his tea. It was a wonderful drink he only made himself when he had guests or when he wasn’t feeling the best. The drink seemed to have calming properties. “I do believe so.”</p><p>“You believe so?” Bretta echoed with a tilt of her head. </p><p>Sheo stood up. “It would be easier to just show you rather than explain.” He motioned for the three to follow as he made his way towards the living room. To his shock, the children were all hidden from sight. </p><p>“Well?” Markoth questioned impatiently. Sheo resisted the urge to flinch as his eyes scanned the room. </p><p>A small spot of red caught his eye as he did his best not to rush over to Xero as he saw the small bug peer out from behind a chair. Sheo dragged his eyes away and fixed the three visiting bugs with a faux grin. “Gi-give me a moment, please.”</p><p>As soon as the three had vanished, Sheo rushed over to the chair. He peered behind it and was met with three pairs of wide eyes. “What are you doing behind here?” the painter questioned. </p><p>“Scary bugs!” Tiso cried and the other two slightly nodded in agreement. </p><p>Sheo knelt down next to the children. “They’re friends, I promise. They want to meet you.”</p><p>“I wanna meet them!” Zote said suddenly, puffing out his chest. Sheo smiled and gazed at the other two. </p><p>“Do you guys want to meet them as well?” </p><p>Tiso and Xero exchanged a small glance, then nodded. Sheo smiled as he held out his hands. He stood up, letting Zote and Tiso hold his hands while Xero trailed behind him. Sheo lightly knocked on the wall of the kitchen, catching the attention of Quirrel. The pillbug looked up and his eyes widened as he hurriedly set down his small cup of tea. This action made both Bretta and Markoth stop their current conversation and look up as well. </p><p>Sheo felt Tiso’s grip on his hand tighten and he didn’t miss the flinch from Zote. The painter watched the silent standoff between his visitors and the children. He slightly tensed as he noticed Markoth clench a fist under the table. It was subtle, but Sheo had learned to catch onto those things quickly. </p><p>“Is this some sort of fucking joke?” It wasn’t a surprise to hear the moth’s tone come out as venomous. </p><p>Sheo ushered the children behind him and shook his head. “Afraid not,” he replied, keeping his tone even.</p><p>Markoth stood up quickly, eyes boring into Sheo. A glowing golden nail manifested in front of him, to the alarm of Quirrel and shock of Sheo. The painter kept his gaze on the moth before him as Quirrel stood up, grabbing hold of the nail. </p><p>“Hey, hey… let’s-let’s calm down before things go awry,” he said with a hint of nervousness, slowly lowering the nail as he spoke. He slightly flinched as Markoth turned his ice-cold gaze to the pillbug. </p><p>Bretta stood up as well, placing a hand on Quirrel’s in an attempt to discreetly lower the nail to the point where it wasn’t an immediate threat. “He’s right. No-nothing will go right i-if we spring into ac-action….”</p><p>Markoth’s cold glare returned to Sheo. He huffed and the nail disappeared, leaving little particles behind that dissipated within seconds. The moth sat down, placing his hands on the table. “Fine. Let’s hear the story, shall we?”</p><p>Relieved, Quirrel and Bretta took their seats again. Sheo slowly eased himself from his defensive position, though he kept his guard up. His old nail was still propped up by the door, which he made a mental note of as the painter took a seat. The three children were clustered around him, all of them eyeing Sheo’s guests with obvious distrust.</p><p>For a minute that seemed to last hours, nobody spoke. After another long minute, Quirrel broke it with a nervous laugh. “S-so…” he trailed off, searching for the proper words. After a few seconds, he spoke up again. “Wh-what exactly happened?”</p><p>Sheo couldn’t look any of them in the eye, instead choosing to gaze at the intricate pattern of the vase on the table. “They just showed up like this. I can’t say when or why. I made sure to contact you all as soon as I had the time to.”</p><p>“Who else knows?”</p><p>“Nobody, aside from you three and myself.” Sheo looked up at Quirrel. “I figured it was best to let their romantic partners know firsthand.”</p><p>“And we thank you for that,” Bretta chimed in. “It’s relieving, knowing they’re… somewhat ok.”</p><p>Sheo nodded slowly. “I have tried to ask them a few questions, but they all seem to have no recollection of what happened.” </p><p>“So they don’t remember anything?” </p><p>“Afraid so.”</p><p>Markoth closed his eyes, then spoke quietly. “So they don’t know who we are.” It wasn’t a question. Sheo found himself wanting it to be. He couldn’t bring himself to answer, though everyone knew what it was anyways. </p><p>“I’ll be sure to contact you all when I have information,” the painter found himself saying a bit lamely. </p><p>“Thank you, Sheo.” Quirrel smiled warmly, standing up. “We wish you luck.” He headed for the door. Bretta gave Sheo a small nod as well. Markoth was silent and avoided looking at Sheo as he headed for the door, following Quirrel. Bretta shot one last look at Zote before following the two males out. </p><p>Sheo let out an audible sigh as the door closed. He relaxed in his chair for a moment, feeling the tension in the air begin to fade. A small tug on his cloak made him look down. </p><p>“Who that?” The wide eyes of Tiso stared up at him, the ant’s head inclined to the side. </p><p>Sheo smiled as he scooped Tiso up, holding him gently. “Those were some of my friends.” It wasn’t a total lie. He couldn’t tell him the whole truth, of course. He wouldn’t understand.</p><p>“The red one was scary!” Xero’s worried voice piped up from under the table. Sheo shook his head slightly as he approached, stretching his small arms up in a signal to be picked up as well. Sheo obliged, holding the two. </p><p>“He was just a little upset,” was all Sheo could manage to get out. It was a little disheartening to hear Xero refer to Markoth as scary. Sheo couldn’t fault either too much. He knew Markoth had a temper and hearing his boyfriend was a child and didn’t remember him was certainly something to be riled up over. </p><p>“Maybe he doesn’t like us…,” Tiso mused, holding himself closely. </p><p>“Now, don’t think like that!” Sheo gently scolded the small child, stroking his head. “I’m sure they all like you! How could they not?” </p><p>He held the two children close as he stood up. He smiled at the sight of Zote, who was passed out under the table. He gently scooped him up as well, enwrapping the three in his arms as he headed to the living room, setting them down on the couch. “We’re gonna go on a little trip tonight. Doesn’t that sound fun?”</p><p>“Where are we going?” Xero asked, swinging his legs as he titled his head. </p><p>Sheo smiled. “That’s going to be a little surprise. We’ll leave in a few hours, ok? Until then, feel free to play with your toys.” </p><p>The painter sat down on a chair, watching as Tiso and Xero quietly put together a puzzle. Sheo took out his phone, checking his messages to see if anyone had texted. Aside from the normal group chat, which was chaotic per usual, nobody had messaged him. </p><p>Sheo set an alarm for 4:00, about an hour before they were due to be at Sly’s. Setting down his phone, Sheo watched the children play, losing himself in the quiet. </p><p>-</p><p>Getting the children ready was more of a hassle than Sheo had anticipated. For one, Zote was extremely rowdy after his power-nap and would not sit still, running to different rooms and hiding in the most obscure spots. Sheo would have Tiso and Xero sit on the couch while he retrieved Zote. Everytime he returned, both kids were gone, thinking it to be a game of hide-and-seek. </p><p>After a long 10 minutes, Sheo managed to keep all three kids together. He led the three out to his car, seating them in the back as he went to retrieve the booster seat. He only had one, but if he was lucky, all three could fit. He held his breath as he tried it, and much to his relief, it worked. Strapping the children in, Sheo smiled as he sat in the driver’s seat. </p><p>The ride to Sly’s was a jovial one. Sheo had a leftover CD of kid’s songs from Ghost’s time at his house. To his relief, the kids enjoyed as much as Ghost had. The entire ride, the kids were singing along to the songs. Sheo sang along as well and almost missed the turn to Sly’s road as a result. </p><p>Sheo led the children inside, holding onto Zote’s hand while he carried Tiso in his free arm. Xero trailed behind them, distracted by one of the items in the window of Sly’s shop. Sheo rushed back to get him as soon as he noticed. </p><p>Sly was waiting for them in the back rooms. He smiled as Sheo entered. “Finally, one of my sons comes to visit.”</p><p>Sheo smiled, setting Tiso down gently. He gently hugged Sly, greeting him with a small smile. “It’s about time I paid a visit.” </p><p>Sly patted his hand, walking over to the counter where he had already prepared tea. “Now, what was it you needed help with?”</p><p>Sheo was about to answer when the sound of glass hitting the floor cut him off. He and Sly looked over to the window where the three kids were crowded around a fallen lamp. The three looked up and pointed at one another in succession.</p><p>“He did it,” Zote immediately said, pointing to Tiso. </p><p>Tiso shook his head quickly. “Nu-uh!”</p><p>Sly looked back at Sheo. The painter sighed with a small smile. “There it is,” he muttered softly. </p><p>Sly gazed back at the children. “What happened to them?”</p><p>“I wish I knew, Dad,” Sheo muttered. He got up to clean up the glass. As he did that, Sly watched the children, half out of curiosity and half to make sure they didn’t break anything else. The shopkeeper stood up, approaching the children standing idly nearby. It didn’t shock him that they were slightly taller, with the exception of Zote, who was a mere few inches shorter.</p><p>“Apologize to Sly, kiddos,” Sheo said as he discarded the broken glass. </p><p>For a moment, the kids were silent, all three avoiding Sly’s gaze. The collective “Sorry” was quiet, but there. Sly resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was never a fan of children.</p><p>Sheo picked the kids up as he returned to the table with Sly. Sly observed the kids. He had no doubt they were actually who they looked like. The group chat had a lack of Tiso lately and Sly knew the ant could never go for so long without making some idiotic comment. </p><p>“How has it been?” Sly questioned, a bit curious. </p><p>Sheo simply nodded as he stroked Zote gently. “Rather well so far. There’s been ups and downs, of course.” He smiled down at the kids. </p><p>“And how have their romantic partners taken it?”</p><p>“You know Quirrel and Bretta, calm and collected. Markoth was… well, he was upset. Scared these three for sure.”</p><p>Sly nodded, sipping some of his tea. “I see…”</p><p>“I’ve been meaning to ask if Oro and Mato are in town?” Sheo inclined his head. “I don’t want to leave them out of this, and I may need some extra hands in the future.”</p><p>Sly smiled. “Brotherly bonding, I see. I do believe Oro’s currently around. He stopped by yesterday and mentioned something about staying for a little while. I’m unsure about Mato, however.” </p><p>Sheo sighed to himself. On one hand, he was glad one of his brothers was here. On the other, Oro could be very… crude. He wasn’t afraid to speak his mind and he wasn’t fond of children normally. Sheo was very unsure how he could react to these three. </p><p>Sly seemed to read his thoughts. “I could watch them for a few hours if needed.”</p><p>Sheo smiled at his dad. “If I really need to, I’ll be sure to contact you. I don’t want to disrupt your work.”</p><p>“I’m hungry,” Tiso suddenly said, looking up at Sheo. </p><p>“Me too!” </p><p>“Me three!”</p><p>Sly smirked. “It seems as if they’re hungry, Sheo.”</p><p>The painter smiled in response. “I know.” He looked down at the kids. “Wait here, I’ll get you a few snacks I packed.” He set the children down and retreated to the door. </p><p>As soon as he was alone with the children, Sly dropped his smile and leaned across the table. “Alright,” he said in a low voice, “what’s really going on here?”</p><p>The three children exchanged a confused glance. After a moment, Xero giggled. “It’s a game,” he whispered to the other two. </p><p>“A game?” Sly asked sharply, not missing a word. He didn’t get an answer as Sheo returned. Sly dropped the frown he wore as Sheo opened a bag, taking out a few packs of fruit snacks. He got out a paper bowl (to Sly’s relief. Unbreakable objects were a good fit) and emptied a few bags of the gummy snacks into it. He placed it in front of the kids and watched as Tiso and Zote immediately began to dig in. </p><p>“Aren’t you hungry?” Sly asked Xero, narrowing his eyes at the red bug. </p><p>Sheo rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, that’s a small problem. He doesn’t like to take off his helmet. At least not in front of anyone else.”</p><p>Sly made a small noise as he thought about it. He got up from his chair, crossing over to Xero. He held out a hand. “Come. If you want some privacy, I can take you to another room.”</p><p>To his surprise, Xero went along with it, taking Sly’s hand. Sly nodded at Sheo as he took a pack of fruit snacks and led Xero into the back storage room. Sly closed the door behind him, ripping open the fruit snacks and handing the bag to Xero. Sly turned away and heard shuffling behind him, followed by a metallic clang as the helmet hit the floor. As soon as he heard that, Sly turned around. </p><p>He had mixed feelings as he watched Xero eat. It was very obvious now that it wasn’t some other random kid, but it was somewhat jarring to see Xero’s face when it wasn’t covered with the red metal of his helmet. His white eyes were focused on his snack and he ate quickly. As soon as he finished, Sly turned back around quickly, not wanting the small child to see him looking. He did not need to deal with an upset child at the moment. </p><p>He felt a small tug on his cloak and Sly turned around, seeing the slightly oversized helmet back on. “I’m done,” Xero said softly, his shredded cloak wrapped around him. </p><p>Sly smiled at the child and nodded, opening the door. The first chance he got, he would have to ask this kid more questions. Sly led Xero back to Sheo and the others. </p><p>Sheo turned to him as he approached. He smiled at Sly. “I just got off the phone with Mato. He said he’ll be able to stop by to pick up the kids tomorrow.”</p><p>Sly blinked. “You’re leaving?”</p><p>“Only for the night, Dad. Didn’t I mention that yesterday?”</p><p>“If you did, it slipped the mind.” Sly sighed to himself. “And you’re aware Oro is staying with me until he leaves?”</p><p>“Yes, Dad, I know. Just call me if anything happens.” Sheo knelt down to the children, giving each a small goodbye hug. “Watch them closely. They tend to get into trouble a bit. Thanks!”</p><p>He was out the door before Sly could protest. The shopkeeper sighed heavily. “Great…,” he muttered. The three kids were staring at him. Sly narrowed his eyes at them. “Now. I have work to attend to. You will not disturb me. Understood?”</p><p>The kids stared at him blankly. Sly facepalmed. Of course they didn’t understand. Impatiently, he waved a hand. “Go play a game, ok?”</p><p>At that, Tiso stood up, tapping Zote on the arm. “Tag!” he exclaimed. He immediately scrambled away, Xero not too far behind him as Zote protested, scampering after them. Sly sighed again, regretting this decision already as he headed back to the counter.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. It Just Gets Better</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Oro has to deal with three chaotic children without losing his mind.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Might edit this later, my power is flickering and I wanted the posted before it goes out</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Oro could never say he was in a good mood because he never really was. There was always something that pissed him off, whether it be his idiotic friends or the weather being less than convenient for him that particular day. Today was one of those days that seemed to exist with the sole purpose of pissing him off. </p><p>Oro slammed the door to Sly’s shop closed, mumbling under his breath as he glared out at the rain. He took off his coat and hung it up, then chucked his boots outside with a soft “fuck you”. The nailmaster trudged into the back, expecting his dad to greet him. Instead, on the door that separated the shop from Sly’s living quarters was a note, obviously written by Sly. Oro took it and skimmed over it. </p><p>The note was short: “I had to run a quick errand and will be back soon by the time you’re home and reading this. In the meantime, feel free to make friends with our little guests. They’ll probably be in the spare room, if you’re lucky. Please try not to kill them.”</p><p>Oro sighed as he set the note down. His father had guests over? He hated people: they didn’t know how to fucking listen, and most social encounters the nailmaster had ended poorly. Oro decided to simply avoid whoever the fuck Sly allowed to stay and hope they would do the same. The lesser they crossed paths, the better. </p><p>The first half hour went smoothly, to Oro’s surprise. He was almost impressed. Whoever was staying over knew how to please him, both quiet and absent. Oro leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He didn’t understand what Sly was worried about. </p><p>Something hit one of the wooden legs of the chair and the piece of furniture began to topple over. Oro let out a string of curses as gravity did its job and pulled him down with the chair. Oro hit the floor and clenched a fist, ready to beat whatever the fuck that was to smithereens. He stood up and grabbed his nail from the wall and looked around angrily. He felt a tug on his cloak and looked down.</p><p>Perhaps it was the slight dizziness or the absolute rage Oro felt that was making him go crazy, because there was no fucking way he was seeing what he thought he was seeing. A smaller version of Tiso gazed up at him and tilted his head. </p><p>“What the fuck,” Oro muttered. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to remember the damn calming techniques the Seer had taught him. After a few moments of repeating the exercises, Oro opened his eyes again. </p><p>The small Tiso was still there, this time accompanied by small versions of Zote and Xero. Oro let out a scream, shocked at the sudden appearance of all three. The nailmaster raised his hands. “Nope. Fuck that. No way.” He crossed the room to pick up his phone. </p><p>Behind him, one of the little bugs giggled. Oro whipped his head around to shoot them a glare, watching as the little Zote snickered, finding his shock amusing. Oro stormed over and glared down at the children. </p><p>“Do you think that’s fucking funny?” he asked, his voice a low growl. </p><p>Zote seemed to consider it. He nodded. “Yeah.”</p><p>Oro didn’t have a response to that. He blinked a few times and sat down, dialing a number quickly. </p><p>“Hello?” Sly’s voice rang out from the other end. </p><p>“Why the fuck is there children in our house?” Oro blurted out. “More fucking importantly, why the fuck do they look like three of the biggest idiots I have the curse of knowing?”</p><p>There was silence for a moment. Sly began to snicker. “First of all, watch the language. Secondly, because they are those three idiots.”</p><p>“What.”</p><p>“Hell if I know, Oro. Sheo dropped them off a little bit ago and said he’d be back to pick them up soon.” Sly began to chuckle again. “Do try not to kill them. Sheo would be devastated.”</p><p>“What the fuck am I supposed to do with them?!”</p><p>“Same thing I did with you three. Keep them happy, make sure they don’t die, simple things. Good luck.”</p><p>The line went dead before Oro could protest. He sighed in annoyance, half-slamming his phone down. He slowly looked down at the three children in front of him. His eyes narrowed and he stood up. </p><p>“Listen here and listen well.” Oro folded his arms, staring down at the kids with an authoritarian glare. “You will not fucking cry, or fight, or do anything that makes any type of loud noise.”</p><p>The three kids looked up at him blankly, either not understanding or not caring. Oro continued to glare at them, never taking his eyes off of them as he moved to sit back down. </p><p>The silence lasted another five minutes before Zote broke it. “I’m bored,” he complained. </p><p>Tiso began to nod. “Me too.”</p><p>Oro glared harder. “Go fucking entertain yourselves, then.”</p><p>The children exchanged a glance. Tiso stood up and ran to the kitchen, tripping halfway there as the other two followed. Oro leaned back in the chair with an annoyed sigh. At least they were out of his way.</p><p>It wasn’t long before a sharp smell tinged the air. Oro perked up. Why did he smell smoke? Something dawned on him and he cursed to himself as he practically flew to his feet and to the kitchen.</p><p>It was an absolute fucking mess. The sink was overflowing and Tiso struggled to prevent any more water from hitting the floor in a pathetic attempt to scoop water into his hands and throw it back into the sink. Most of the floor was covered in flour. Both Zote and Xero were also covered and completely white, though they were both preoccupied in their attempts to reach for something in the fridge. Zote stood on two large cookbooks and a chair as he tried to grab for the eggs. </p><p>“Hell no.” Oro was next to him in an instant, grabbing the carton and holding it out of reach. He set the eggs on the table and picked Zote up, holding him by one of his horns. “What the fuck are you kids doing?” </p><p>“We wanted to make you something!” Tiso looked up at Oro, sitting on the counter, about five different bowls next to him, all of them full of water. Oro sighed heavily and set Zote down in the only somewhat clean part of the kitchen. He then retreated to the closet, grabbing a mop and the vacuum. The machine whirled to life as Oro began to clean the flour, not caring if it was the correct way to do it or not. </p><p>When most of the flour was swept up, Oro moved on to the mop to clean the water that had spilled on the floor. He drained the sink when he was finished, glancing at the three children, two of which were still covered with flour. Hell, he only knew where Xero was due to his helmet. </p><p>“What the fuck were you trying to make?” Oro asked, somewhat miffed. </p><p>“Cake!” Tiso cheered. </p><p>“Of fucking course you were.” Oro turned and ran a few rags under the warm water. He crossed the room and began to wipe the flour off of Zote. As he did so, he removed Xero’s helmet from his head and almost laughed when more flour poured out of it. Instead, the nailmaster sighed again and helped Xero clean himself. </p><p>When the mess was finally cleaned, Oro looked to the clock. It was just about 6. Sly would be home in about an hour. Oro glanced at the children to make sure they were still there, then went to pour the five large bowls of water down the sink. A leftover recipe for soup caught his eye and he smirked to himself. Setting the water down, he reached into the oven and pulled out a pot. Oro poured the water into it and set it on the stove, turning the heat on before turning to the children. </p><p>“Do you three want to help me make dinner?” he asked with a gentler tone. To his relief, the kids all nodded, interested. Oro grabbed a large stool and pulled it over to the table, then helped the kids stand on it. He opened the cabinet and pulled out the ingredients needed for chicken noodle soup, then grabbed a cutting board and a knife (as well as three plastic ones). Oro set them down on the table and sat down next to the kids.</p><p>“Can you guys help me cut these carrots?” He made sure to use a calmer tone. He handed each kid a plastic knife and set a carrot on the cutting board to demonstrate. When he had finished, he pushed the board over to the kids. Tiso used his knife to begin cutting while Zote tried to use his shellwood nail. Oro ended up confiscating it as soon as he saw the small wooden thing. Zote muttered as he used his plastic knife as well. Oro oversaw the cutting, nodding in approval. The children seemed to be content and that was good. </p><p>A dim glow caught his attention and Oro watched as Xero pulled out a small blue nail from fucking nowhere. Oro almost choked at the sight of it and stood up to take it away, much to Xero’s chagrin. The red bug looked Oro in the face and another one manifested into thin air. </p><p>“Over my dead body am I letting you have that.” Oro snatched it away, watching Xero closely. “Any more?”</p><p>Xero blinked, then shook his head. Oro didn’t fail to notice the other two blue nails tucked away beneath Xero’s cloak but chose to ignore it, sitting down with the nails. When the cutting was done, Oro tossed everything into the pot, watching it boil as he waited. At the table, the three kids talked quietly, entertaining themselves. Oro turned away with a small smile.</p><p>-</p><p>Sly was shocked when he got to the shop. He half-expected to see police cars lined up outside, but the night was oddly calm. Sly unlocked the door of his shop with a key and slipped inside, opening the door to the living quarters. He heard nothing, shockingly. He had expected screaming, at least. </p><p>“Oro, I’m home!” Sly called, setting his keys and phone down on the counter. Oro emerged from the kitchen, looking happy with himself. </p><p>“Welcome home,” he said casually. Sly’s eyes narrowed. </p><p>“Where’s the kids?”</p><p>“In here.” Oro moved aside so Sly could enter the kitchen. Sly’s eyes slightly widened as he saw the kids very much alive and happy. All of them were eating quietly. </p><p>“Wow,” Sly commented. “I expected a lot worse.”</p><p>Oro smirked. “We had a slight mess but it’s nothing we can’t clean.”</p><p>Sly nodded and smiled up at Oro. “Well done.” He walked away, failing to hear the soft snickers of the kids. </p><p>“Is he gonna find the surprise?” Tiso asked softly. </p><p>“Absolutely,” Oro replied, suppressing a cackle. He heard the sound of the closet door opening, followed by a scream of surprise. </p><p>“ORO!”</p><p>The kids burst into laughter as Sly stormed back into the kitchen, covered in dirty flour. Oro shrugged, feigning innocence. “Whoops. Looks like I forgot to empty the vacuum bag.”</p><p>Sly’s eye twitched in response.</p>
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